To Love Again
by Lady Jay
Summary: Will Matt ever learn to love again after losing Izzy? (Sequal to Only the Memories)


Due to pressure from my friends, and my loyal readers, I've wrote a sequal. I never write sequals. Hope you enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of getting me to write this.  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own digimon, though my dreams, thoughts, and fantasies tell me otherwise.  
  
Note: I would suggest reading "Only the Memories" first, so you know what's going on. That could really help.  
  
Note2: If you see something in parenthesis, that means a character's thoughts.  
  
To Love Again  
Sequal to "Only the Memories  
  
A single tear fell to the picture on the page before Matt. It was a picture of Izzy at the beach, taken last summer. Matt thought he had looked so good in that pair of black swimming trunks, with the sun shining on his bare, tanned chest. Another tear fell to the picture, and another, until finally Matt forced himself to stop crying and turned the page. This picture was one of Mimi and Sora, at the fair this past spring. Matt looked up from his photo album as Tai walked into the small apartment.  
  
"Hope you don't mind," Tai began, stopping just inside the door. "You weren't answering the door, and it was unlocked, so . . ."  
  
"It's okay," Matt said, closing the photo album. He reached up to wipe at his swollen eyes, still faintly red from crying.  
  
"The others are waiting. Are you ready to go?"  
  
Matt nodded and lay the photo album aside, reaching for his coat as he stood. He limped towards the door, grabbing his keys and a small, brightly wrapped package. Tai followed him out the door, cautiously locking it behind him.  
  
"I'm glad you decided to come," Tai said, trying to start a conversation. "Sora was thrilled when she found out you were coming."  
  
"That's nice," Matt replied absently as he climbed into Tai's dark green sedan.  
  
"Yolei, Cody, and Davis are going to be there."  
  
"That's nice."  
  
Tai had the funny feeling Matt wasn't really paying attention to him. "So are Devimon, Myotismon, and Piedmon," he said, trying for any reaction he might get out of Matt.  
  
"That's nice."  
  
Tai gave up trying, and the rest of the ride passed in silence. Finally he pulled up to the curb infront of a small duplex. "We're here," Tai announced, turning off the car and opening the door. The small driveway, and the curb in front were packed with cars. Matt climbed out oc the car, slowly. aware of a sistant ache in his legs.  
  
"Hi, guys!," Mimi said as the pair walked in. Matt looked around. T.K. was there, his lovely dark-eyed wife Mareli cradling their newborn baby boy in her arms.  
  
"Hey, bro," T.K. said as soon as he saw Matt. "Come over here and see your nephew!" Matt slowly walked over and gazed down at the bundle in the graceful woman's arms. A pair of warm, dark eyes gazed up with curiosity. Soft, spikey hair, neither the blond of his father, nor the black of his mother, but a rich, deep brown, completed the picture, and brought back painful memories.  
  
"We were thinking of calling him Izzy," Mareli said softly, turning her dark eyes to Matt's face.  
  
"He's a beautiful little boy," Matt said thickly, trying not to be overcome by the tears that threatened to fall. "Escuse me." Tai, Sora, and T.K. watched as Matt hurried through the room, heading for the back door.  
  
"W need to do something," T.K. said, a worried frown creasing his still-youthful features. Sora nodded in agreement.  
  
"I think I can help," Tai said, walking away.  
  
  
  
Matt stood on the small cement patio, gazing at the clouds overhead, while his tears fell down his face. The clouds broke briefly,showing the pale, silvery moon. His body shook with a racking sob, and he slowly sat down on the cold cement, pulling his knees up to his chest and burying his face in his arms. He didn't hear the soft footsteps coming up behind him.  
  
"Matt?"  
  
Matt looked up, seeing a blurry figure. The figure sat down, and pulled him against a shoulder. Matt cried against the shoulder, cried untill he could cry no more, and finally pulled away.  
  
"Feel better?"  
  
Matt nodded, not looking up. He closed his eyes, and felt a soft, strong hand gently touch his face. Startled, he looked up, into Joe's face. "Come on," Joe said. "Let's rejoin the party."  
  
  
  
Matt knelt in front of the headstone, a single rose in his hands. Reaching out, he traced the words on the smooth black marble. Koushiro Izumi. "Izzy," he began hesitantly, "I promised myself I'd do this every year, and it's been a year, so here I am." He cleared his throat, the sound seeming unusually loud in the stillness of the cemetary. "Ah, a lot of things have happened recently. Tai and Sora are engaged. Kari and Davis have split up. I'm an uncle." Matt glanced around nervously.  
  
"And I think I found someone," he said reluctantly. "Joe, believe it or not. He always had a thing for me, and when I'm with him I feel so . . . alive. He could never take your place, and he knows it. He's happy just being my friend for now.  
  
"Thought I'd let you speak with him for a while before coming up here,"Joe said softly as he approached from behind. Matt smiled as his thoughtfulness as he stood again.  
  
(Yes, Izzy), Matt thought as they walked back to Joe's car. (I still miss you, always will, but it's easier to deal with now. I've got Joe.) Matt stared out the window of the car as they drove away. (It's still too soon to tell, but maybe, some day, I could learn to love again.)  
  
  
  
Not as good as the first one, but in it's way, good.  
  
Bet I confused a lot of people. Bet you all thought it would be Matt and Tai. Bet you never expected Matt and Joe.  
  
Well, please review, and all that nonesense. 


End file.
